Automatic coupling for mine-cars



G. T. GREGORY AND H. W. BURKET.

AUTOMATIC COUPLING FOR MINE CARS.

' APPLICATION FILED MAY 16. 1919.

1,392,145. PatentedSept. 27,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

i A V V ll G. T. GREGORY ANU H. W. BURKET.

AUTOMATIC COUPLING FOR MINE CARS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16. 1919.

lawns. ra easept. 27,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNtTED stares rater-at orrice.

GEORGE E. GREGORY, OF NEW KENSINGTON, AND HENRY W. BURKET, OF ARNOLD, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATZC COUPLING, FOR MINE-CARS.

' Application filed May 16,

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that we, Gnonon T. GREGORY and HENRY W. Bonner, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at New Kensington and Arnold, in the county of l Vestmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Couplings for- Mine-Cars; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention, relates to automatic couplers for mine cars. It has for its object to provide at one end of the car a link and pin in which the link will be held normally in position for automatic engagement with the coupling pin of an adjacent car when the two cars are brought into coupling relation to each other, said link admitting of being turned when the cars are passing a curve or turn in the track and to be returned to normal position by an associated spring; the opposite end of the car being provided with a gravitating coupling pin adapted to turn on a pivot and to be lifted by engagement therewith of the link of the adjoining car and then to drop into holding position with the link as soon as the coupling is eil'ected, the couplings at the opposite ends being connected one with the other by a bar or plate extending -from one coupling to the other and lying along the bottom or "floor of the car, and thus contributing to stabilize the couplings at both ends of the car.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as may hereinafter appear the invention consists in the features hereinafter particularly described and then sought to be clearly defined by the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation oi. a mine car, with parts broken away, and illustrating our inventionapplied Specification of Letters Yatent. Patented Sept]. 2'7, 1921- 1919. Serial No. 297,519.

ing the spring which holds the link and pin in normal coupling position;

6 is a vertical section, through the link and pin couplingend, the pin being in full lines;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the coupling link;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the spring which holds the link and pin in normal position, the spring being partly broken away.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates the body, 2 thebottoni or floor, and 3 the wheels of a well known type of mine car, and which may in construction be of any of the standard makes of this type of car.

At one end of the ar we provide a link 4 and a coupling pin 5 which will be a permanent fixture attached to the end sill of the car.

The link will be formed at one end a seat or recess 7 leading from the opening 8 through which the coupling pin will pass and will rest on the car sill between it and the overhanging end 9 of a plate or bar 10 which will extend from one end of the car to the other end along the car bottom or floor and at the other end will have an overhang ing portion 11 extending over the sill at that end and formed at such end with a slot 12 to receive the gravitating pin at that end as hereinafter described. T he coupling pin for attachment of the link 4t to the car sill is designated by he numeral 5 and passes rotatably through the overhanging portion 9 of the coupling); bar 10 and through the end sill as shown. it is formed with a lag or key 14- which will fit in the seat 7 of the collar 6 of the link, and near its lower end is formed with a key or lug 1t to fit in a seat or recess 16 formed in a plate 17 through which the pin will pass and which will be sup )orted 5 through the end of coupling position so gravitating coupling yet permit the link to swing or coupling pin when the car is rounding a curve or bend in the track, the spring plate at such time being put under tension so that t the other end of the car the coupling pin isain the form of a gravitating pin or dog 22 which is supported in the head or housing 23 by a pin 24 assing through a slot 25 in the pin or d dg. The end or The connected by bell crank lever from one end to the other of the car and connects the coupling at one end iviththe coupling at the other a resilient neck andformed to the other, by reason of the end of the car with the gaves stability to both is distributed couplings and the draft bar and the floor from through the plate or one end to the 0th necessary.

We have described with preferred details of the several parts but changes may be made Without departing relatively to the other, ing with the pin for normally holding the link in a forwardly projected position.

2. car coupling comprising a coupling in the collar and the tively;

3. A car coupling comprising a coupling pin'and link, and an elastic member for restraining the rotation of the pin; the link being formed with acollar havin a keyseat, and the elastic member conslstin of a plate attached to the under part of the car and having a reduced portion constituting mg for the coupling pin and a key seat, the coupling pin bein formed with keys to fit in the key seat 0 the link-collar and keyseat of the elast c n1ember,

elastic member, respectively, member overhanging the collar of the link to hold thesame in place.-

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

(JrE'ORGE T. GREGORY. HENRY W. BURKE-T. Witnesses:

HARRY'O.

WALLEY, Fonnns R.

BENsrNeER.

and means cooperatwith an open-' 7 Ill 

